Transgender community awaits Maine’s high court decision

THE GUERRILLA ANGEL REPORT — While Maine’s Supreme Judicial Court isn’t the final arbitrator of trans civil rights in the country, the court’s pending ruling on whether a trans student can use a school bathroom of the gender presented is being closely monitored by trans activists and advocates.

A ruling in favor of trans student Nicole Maines would establish a precedent that would speed up the updating of laws and policies elsewhere. A ruling against Maines will serve as a reality check for some — true equality may be further down the road than thought.

Nicole Maines, of course, is a student who was denied access to a girl’s bathroom several years ago. Her lawyers sued in 2009 but a state judge ruled against Maines. The case was heard by the Maine Supreme Judicial Court last week. She is now 15-years old:

Maines: “I hope they [Maine’s high court] understood how important it is for students to be able to go to school and get an education and have fun and make friends, and not have to worry about being bullied by students or the administration, and to be accepted for who they are.”

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A number of schools and colleges have dealt with this issue — most with favorable outcomes for trans students. This, however, has prompted some lawmakers to propose legislation to make it a crime to use bathrooms not matching birth certificate gender. More on these transphobic “bathroom bills” here: https://lexiecannes.wordpress.com/?s=bathroom+bill